Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS Tucson, AZ

August 8, 2012Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 8, 2012, 5:49 PM MST for Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 56 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 8, 2012, 5:49 PM MST (00:49 UTC)
Expired
Aug 8, 2012, 6:45 PM MST
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Pima County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:49 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 8, 6:19 PM MSTTSTM WND DMG7 Ssw Oro Valley, AZTREE LIMBS DOWN.
Aug 8, 6:20 PM MSTTSTM WND DMG6 Nw Tucson, AZTREE DOWN AT RIVER AND LA CHOLLA...TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 8, 6:29 PM MSTTSTM WND DMG3 Sw Oro Valley, AZTREES DOWN IN EXESS OF 6 INCHES

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KDMA), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 34 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Tuscon, AZ at 00:00Z on 2012-08-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 465 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tuscon, AZ at 00:00Z on 2012-08-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 4 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
465 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-65 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3468 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

688 
WUUS55 KTWC 090049
SVRTWC
AZC019-021-090145-
/O.NEW.KTWC.SV.W.0055.120809T0049Z-120809T0145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
549 PM MST WED AUG 8 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ORO VALLEY...MARANA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...

* UNTIL 645 PM MST

* AT 542 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ORACLE...OR 15 MILES NORTH
  OF ORO VALLEY...AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  BIOSPHERE 2...ORACLE JUNCTION...SADDLEBROOKE...CATALINA...CATALINA
  STATE PARK AND DOVE MOUNTAIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. EXPECT DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS STORM.

&&

LAT...LON 3223 11103 3254 11132 3274 11091 3260 11072
TIME...MOT...LOC 0049Z 035DEG 13KT 3261 11089

$$

KD
2 follow-up statements
893 
WWUS55 KTWC 090119
SVSTWC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
619 PM MST WED AUG 8 2012

AZC019-021-090145-
/O.CON.KTWC.SV.W.0055.000000T0000Z-120809T0145Z/
PIMA AZ-PINAL AZ-
619 PM MST WED AUG 8 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM MST
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL AND NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTIES...

AT 615 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ORACLE JUNCTION...OR 8
MILES NORTH OF ORO VALLEY...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH DOVE MOUNTAIN...ORO VALLEY AND
CATALINA.

BLOWING DUST WITH THIS STORM WILL OCCUR WELL AHEAD OF ANY RAIN
OR LIGHTNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ENCOUNTER STRONG WINDS...BLOWING DUST AND POOR VISIBILITIES
WHILE DRIVING...PULL OFF THE ROAD IF POSSIBLE...PUT THE VEHICLE IN
PARK...TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND WAIT UNTIL THE VISIBILITY
IMPROVES. PROTECT YOUR HEAD FROM POSSIBLE FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3223 11103 3254 11132 3274 11091 3260 11072
TIME...MOT...LOC 0117Z 035DEG 13KT 3253 11096

$$

KD
312 
WWUS55 KTWC 090143
SVSTWC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
643 PM MST WED AUG 8 2012

AZC019-021-090151-
/O.EXP.KTWC.SV.W.0055.000000T0000Z-120809T0145Z/
PIMA AZ-PINAL AZ-
643 PM MST WED AUG 8 2012

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL AND
NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 645 PM MST...

THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED BELOW 
SEVERE LIMITS ALTHOUGH GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH...BLOWING 
DUST AND POCKETS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
ABOUT 730 PM IN THE WARNED AREA AND IN OTHER PARTS OF 
THE TUCSON METRO AREA.

LAT...LON 3223 11103 3254 11132 3274 11091 3260 11072
TIME...MOT...LOC 0141Z 035DEG 13KT 3246 11102

$$

KD

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 8, 5:27 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPinal33 min
Aug 8, 5:53 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCSanta Cruz37 min
Aug 8, 6:15 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPima45 min
Aug 8, 7:06 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC24 min
Aug 8, 8:20 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima85 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2012Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.